


The Game

by rivendellrose



Category: Fringe (TV)
Genre: 1980s, Arcades, Gen, Polybius
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-16 01:07:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16944114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rivendellrose/pseuds/rivendellrose
Summary: September and August visit a video arcade in 1980s America to keep an eye on a very particular arcade console.





	The Game

The room smelled of popcorn, sugar, and unwashed socks. It was not a pleasant smell, but September noted that the people of this time and place -- mostly young, ranging in general from the pre-teens to the thirties -- seemed not to mind that, or the darkness, or the brightly colored, disorienting lights and carpet. They also did not appear disturbed by the bits of stray popcorn scattered across the floor, and which August stepped fastidiously around as they made their way to the counter.

The long-haired, bearded young man behind the counter eyed them suspiciously. "What do you want?"

September regarded the options, which were helpfully either arrayed or illustrated on a board behind the man, with their names and prices listed in large, squared plastic letters that could be moved around on a slotted white board. Soft drinks. Hot dogs. Popcorn, naturally. Long red whips of licorice. He considered all the offerings in the space of a second.

"I would like a large Slush Puppy."

August made a slight movement beside him.

"Two large Slush Puppies," September corrected, and took out a neatly folded stack of the era's currency which he had requisitioned for this experiment. They were of mixed denomination -- several twenties, a few tens, fives, and a good quantity of singles. Previous observation had indicated that handing over a stack containing only twenties tended to rouse suspicion in the natives of this period, and while he doubted that the young man working the counter of this establishment would be particularly concerned about his status as a law-abiding citizen, it would not do to attract unnecessary attention. "Also, I would like change in quarters, please."

"All of it?"

September thought about this in the space of time it took the young man to blink. He returned one of the twenty-dollar bills to his pocket, having judged the amount he offered to be too large for the request to seem normal. "All but what is required for the two Slush Puppies, yes."

The man thought about this, then shrugged, visibly discarding any concern over September's behavior. "What flavors?"

"Blue raspberry and sour grape," August replied promptly.

September looked at his companion.

"I don't have--"

"Forgive me," August said, "I was thinking of another matter. Cherry and grape, please."

"Is your preparation in all matters of the inquiry so uncertain?" September asked as they walked away carrying their spoils. The question was easily covered by the noise of all the machines around them, and the horseplay of young people harassing each other over wins and losses.

"I was concerned with the primary focus of our observation, not with the extraneous matters surrounding it."

September looked at him again. He remembered an expression that he had seen the humans of this time use, in which they rolled their eyes upward, usually accompanied by the raising of the eyebrows or shaking of the head. At such times, it must be... satisfying, he thought, to indulge in such dramatic displays of emotion.

"The console we were sent to observe is over there," August pointed out, as if unaware of his partner's annoyance. "Between the the Galaga console and Frogger. I will play Galaga--"

"No." September took a sip from his Slush Puppie and stepped forward. "You will play Frogger. I will play Galaga. And when next we require food items to maintain our cover, you will go to the counter and buy us both popcorn. And also one of the red licorice whips."

August frowned. "In addition to the Slush Puppies? We should not consume so much sugar."

"We are meant to fit into this time period," September reminded him. "And a hot dog would be difficult to manage while playing our games." He passed August a handful of quarters and flicked his eyes significantly toward the Frogger console. "Go. And do not allow yourself to be distracted."

"Such a simple game could hardly--"

"Keep your attention on our target," September continued as if August had not protested.

After a moment of disapproving silence, August moved to his place, inserted a quarter, and began a game of Frogger. September did the same with a game of Galaga. Between them, glowing ominously in the dim light, the Polybius console flashed its title screen until a pre-pubescent girl in ripped jeans and a scrunchie approached, considered it, and fed her quarter into the slot.

September, his mind less than half on his own arcade game even as he was required to consciously slow his own reflexes so as to not succeed too easily, watched very, very closely.

**Author's Note:**

> There really is [an urban legend about an arcade console called Polybius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybius_\(urban_legend\)), which included rumors of Men in Black type figures keeping watch over the games. There's also a pretty interesting [YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7X6Yeydgyg) done by a guy who investigated various claims about it. 
> 
> Many thanks to [gaslightgallows](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearts_blood/pseuds/gaslightgallows) for pointing all of the above out to me and saying something like "It's a lost episode of Fringe!" Which resulted in the above silliness.


End file.
